Being Coy
by JadedPhoenixBurning
Summary: Have you ever wondered just what Coy's life in Hazzard was like and why he and Vance spent six years away without ever once returning during that time before Bo and Luke went off to NASCAR? It's time to fill in some of the blanks of Coy's past and see just how they will affect his future.
1. Prologue

Coy walked up the old drive that was nearly non-existent after all of these years. Trees had grown up just like he'd known that they would have. If someone hadn't known that a house used to be up this way they would never have found it. Coy picked his way through the thick undergrowth until he finally came across the first remnants of an old burnt out cabin in the woods.

His mother had loved living out here. She hadn't wanted to live in a more traditional farmhouse; said that living in the woods felt more like her home where she'd grown up in the mountains. Coy smiled as he remembered his mother and how much his father had loved her. Here in the small cabin under the shade of the trees that surrounded it there had been many great times.

Coy didn't know why he'd felt drawn to his childhood home; even when he'd come to stay with Jesse while Bo and Luke were off in NASCAR he'd steered clear of this small corner of the Duke Farm. He suspected that it had something to do with the funeral that he'd come to Hazzard for. He knew that his uncle wouldn't live forever but he really hadn't expected to get that call while he was up in Detroit. Coy and Vance had made it a point to check in on their uncle every chance that they could. It just didn't seem right that he was gone.

Now out of the original eight Duke Boys there were only two left; two of the first Duke Boys who tore up the back roads of Hazzard in speeding automobiles. The eldest and the youngest.

Coy walked over to the remaining hearth where the fireplace had stood and sat down while looking around the old burnt out room. Sitting here he could almost see himself sitting in front of the fire while playing with his toys as a child. Then there was Vance after his parents had died when he was six. He'd come to live with his family even though Jesse and Lavinia had been willing to take him in. Coy's parents had insisted that since he already had the Bo and Luke (Daisy came in less than a year after Vance's parents died) that they should raise Vance. Vance and Coy got along just like brothers anyway so it was only right that they should be raised as them as well.

Coy recalled as he and Vance would roughhouse and come running through the room at high-speed while playing or fighting. It seemed just like yesterday…

 _Coy sat in front of the warm fire with his wooden cars while he listened to his father on the phone. At five years old he didn't understand most of what was said but it didn't stop him from listening anyway._

 _"Jack and Caroline are what?... But how… Is Vance alright…Then he's… But Jesse… Yes I know full well that you always take it on yourself to look after everyone but in this case… Jesse… Jack's my brother, too, ya know which means that I'm just as much Vance's family as you are… No that ain't what I mean but you've already got Bo and Luke to take care of… Vance can share Coy's room. Just like they always do when he comes and spend the night. You know these boys are nearly inseparable… Yes, I'm sure. You and Lavinia have your hands full as it is… You know that Helen will agree to it, too; she's always loved Vance and you know it… Alright, I'm on my way."_

 _Coy then watched as his father walked into the modest kitchen and spoke with his mother briefly before he left out the back door and drove off. After he was gone his mother joined him in the main room and sat on the couch to watch her son play. He noticed that his mother looked like she'd been crying so he left his place on the floor and climbed up into her lap. She'd hugged him closely to herself and only later did he find out what had made his mother so upset._

 _Earlier that day Vance and his parents had been in a car accident; of the three only the six year old Vance had survived. He'd been thrown clear of the accident just before the car had tumbled down the side of Iron Mountain. That had been his only saving grace; sparing the young boy from suffering the same fate as his parents._

 _So after Vance was released from the hospital the Dukes mournfully set about the task of planning a double funeral for Jack and Caroline Duke. Meanwhile, Vance was moved into Coy's room; his new home on the Duke land._


	2. No more teachers, no more books

**~No more teachers, no more books~**

 **Thursday May 31, 1973**

Coy ran out of the school house while giving out a holler. He'd been looking forward to Summer Vacation ever since Spring Break. Out in the lot he saw his cousin, Vance waiting in the car that Coy's parents had helped him get for his seventeenth birthday last year: a Chevy Nova with a 396 in it. Vance's Nova was parked beside Daisy's Road Runner and both were ready to race just as soon as their cousins were all in the cars; Bo was already climbing into the Road Runner as Coy got into the Nova.

Daisy had been working at the all-night pizza place out on Fronties Road for the last two years trying to get some money together for her own car. Jesse had made her the same deal that he'd made with Luke; he'd match her dollar for dollar to help her get a car. Since she hadn't been allowed to help with the 'shine runs it had taken her a bit longer to save up enough for the car that she wanted; which she finally saved up enough for only a month ago. She had a few friends who had told her that she could make more money if she went out to work for Boss Hogg out at the Boar's Nest but she swore that was one thing that she wouldn't do. Not with the kind of shady business she's heard about out there. Instead, she did her best saving up her tips from working out at the pizza place and adding it to her babysitting money while she was forced to borrow Luke's wheels when she needed them. Now that she was no longer forced to bum rides from her cousin she loved the freedom that came with having her own car.

The moment all of the doors were closed the tires squealed as the two Duke Teen drivers put the cars in gear and sped away from the school house. Teachers and other students all stood back; some watching on in amusement, others shaking their head thanking God above that two less Dukes would be returning the following year. Vance and Daisy Duke would be going to their High School graduation the following day. Three Dukes out of the Hazzard County School system, two more to go. The teachers and the principal had all been counting down the days until their classrooms wouldn't have the girls distracted by any of the Duke Boys; of course eighteen year old Daisy Duke did a fair amount of distracting the boys in her classes, too.

Down the road the two Dukes were battling it out on the road between the school and the Duke Farm, enjoying the small race while their cousins were shouting out encouragements the whole way. Vance, being the more experienced driver, crossed onto the Duke Land nearly thirty seconds before his younger cousin and Daisy knew that he'd be rubbing it in just as soon as they got out to the farm house.

"Well I just ain't had the chance to tweak the car out Duke-style just yet like you have the Nova," Daisy said in her defense. "You give me until the end of the summer and then we'll have a real race."

"You're on, Daisy-Girl," Vance stretched his hand out and the two shook hands on their deal. He then looked over at his younger cousins and told Coy and Bo, "Now let's get to the chores out in the barn before Uncle Jesse and Uncle Chris get back from the fields for the day."

"While ya'll are doin' that I'd best start on supper. I'm goin' to make the best fried chicken that you've ever sank your teeth into." Daisy grinned as she ran toward the house to get started on her household chores.

"Well," Coy said he headed off toward the barn, "I think we'd better get to the chores like Vance said. He's right; Dad and Uncle Jesse won't like it if we ain't done before they get done for the day. Last day of school or not. And Mom is likely to be finished out in the garden soon, too. She'd take a switch to us if she thought that we were wasting time."

Actually, Coy knew that wasn't true. He couldn't remember the last time his mother had spanked him or Vance but she would threaten to frequently. At only five foot two she was a tiny woman but she had the heart of a man twice her size. Still, his mother wasn't one to be taken lightly. She had more than once taken a page out of his Uncle Jesse's book and learned that sometimes the best punishment could be extra busy work. Like last summer, after she had caught him in the woodshed with a girl and they were missing most (most, not all) of their clothes she had made him split three cords of wood before the next time he'd been allowed to go out on a date again. Something that the other fellas had actually thanked him for since it meant that they were lucky enough to not need to cut any wood for a while after that. Of course by the time he'd been finished with the wood cutting the summer was nearly over with.

The three Duke Boys all set to work and mucked the stalls, fed the animals, milked the cows and goats, and gathered the eggs. By the time they were done with their chores Helen Duke had finished out in the garden for the day and had joined Daisy in the kitchen since tonight's dinner was going to be a special one. Ordinarily she and her husband along with their two young charges would go to the small cabin at the edge of the Duke Land where their home was and would leave Jesse to tend to his three youngens. Tonight, Helen and Daisy worked together for quite a spread in honor of the graduation that would take place the next day.

Shortly after the three Duke Male teens had gotten cleaned up after their chores Jesse and his brother, Chris, came in just ahead of the eldest Duke Cousin, Luke. All three were hot and sweaty after working out in the fields that had been worked by men in the family for well over two hundred years. The Duke family mainly grew corn since it was sold not only as feed for animals, and food for folks to eat but it was also used for the family's sideline business; making corn whiskey. Of course the family also grew sorghum. The sorghum was usually used as a backup for feed when the droughts would hit. The crop wasn't as lucrative as the corn (once the money that was made from the whiskey was factored in especially) but it helped to keep them afloat during the lean years since it was money that could be depended on at the end of the growing season regardless of the weather. Of course this year Chris had convinced his older brother to try planting some cotton as well since it was working out so well for their younger brother in Placid County who would be coming in the next day with his family to attend Vance's and Daisy's high school graduation.

Over dinner, the conversation bounced back and forth between the upcoming party that would take place the next day and the crops that so far were doing well in the fields. Daisy was about to bubble over with excitement and she was looking forward to finally be considered a grown woman; something that she hadn't been despite the fact that she had turned eighteen back in March and had been doing more and more when it came to running the household here at the main farm house. One main perk that she was looking forward to was that she would no longer have to ask before going out on a date. In fact, she already had a date with Darcy Kincaid planned for the night after the graduation party.

Vance, for his part was looking forward to helping out with more moonshine runs in areas that the younger Dukes weren't allowed to go. Something that both of the younger cousins looked forward to as well but each of them still had a while yet to wait. Though to be honest the youngest of their group seemed to already be the best wheelman among them; he could probably be better if he had gotten a better car with his own savings instead of getting that old pick-up truck instead. When Coy asked him why he'd bought the old relic instead of a fast car since they all knew that he only wanted to race around the back roads of the county anyway, Bo had shown him what he'd bought with the rest of his money. It was an engine that he and Luke were working on so that when they found the perfect car to put it in they'd be sure to have the fastest car in this corner of Georgia.

Toward the end of supper, Coy listened to his father and uncle discuss the plans for the summer.

"Are ya sure that you don't mind none, Jesse?" Chris asked his older brother as he accepted a cup of coffee from his wife. "There's still an awful lot of work that needs to be done around here this summer."

"Of course, I'm sure. I'll still have these boys to help me and John told me that Jebb's been askin' to stay here for the summer, too. We'll manage. You just take care of Elbert and see to it that his family don't go without come the winter."

Coy knew what they were talking about. His mother's brother, Elbert, always has been a bit sickly but last week she had gotten a letter saying that he'd thrown his back out and was laid up right as he and Betsy were expecting their third child. Elbert was hoping for a boy since they already had two little girls at home. Seeing as how they didn't have any other relatives that could help out, Chris and Helen Duke discussed it with Jesse and had decided that they along with Vance and Coy would go and help out his mother's only other living relative. If all went well, the four should be back before the start of the harvest season here in Hazzard. That was the plan as of right now at least. The four of them were planning to leave out for Tennessee first thing Friday morning.

~DOH~

Later that night, Vance and Coy were starting to turn in for the night when Vance was called into the living room for the talk that both teens knew was coming. It was the same talk that their Uncle Jesse had given Luke the year before when he'd first graduated. Chris looked over at Vance as he sat down on the couch and wondered how he could start this without making it sound like he wanted the young man that he cared for as if he were his own son to leave the farm. He didn't really but he also knew that at his age he should at least go out into the world and see for himself what it had to offer him before setting down roots here (preferably) in Hazzard.

Chris didn't want for his nephew to wonder ten years down the road what his life would have been like if he had gone out to see if there was something other working the family plot of land. Chris hoped that when his nephew decided to work the land it was because he had decided that it was because he truly wanted to. Not because he thought that was his lot in life and he had no other choice.

Last year when Jesse had given this same talk to Luke he had claimed that he had no desire to see some distant land, really. He only had dreams of racing and women; both dreams could be met right here in Hazzard. The older Duke had secretly been pleased by his oldest's reluctance to leave the farm just as Chris would be glad if Vance chose to remain behind or (even better) went out into the world only to return after learning that it was Hazzard that he wanted to call home. Still, he felt that he owed it to his nephew to let him know that it was perfectly alright to go off into the world for himself first.

Coy watched from the doorway of his and Vance's bedroom while his father started to talk to his cousin. Or at least he tried to watch; his mother must have seen the door cracked open so she promptly went over to close the door quietly, yet firmly, to leave no doubt that she didn't approve of her son eavesdropping. Vance would no doubt tell him everything that was said anyway but she didn't approve of her son's spying nonetheless. So Coy was stuck trying to listen through the heavy wooden door for the next half hour. When his cousin finally came back to the room to get ready to turn in for the night Coy was fast to ask him what his father had wanted to talk to him about. Coy had been able to overhear some but not the whole conversation. He wanted the blanks filled in and he wanted them filled in now.

"Your dad wanted to talk about that trip that Jimmy's been tryin' to get me go on after graduation," Vance stretched out on his bed next to Coy's single bed. "Uncle Chris seemed to think that it'd be a good idea."

"He did? I thought he needed us both to help with Uncle Elbert's place."

"He said that ya'll could manage without me. Said that he wanted to make sure I got out into the world before I decide too much about what I want to do with my life. Claimed that his father did the same for him and Jesse and the others; just like Jesse told Luke to do the same thing last year when he graduated."

"So of course Luke stuck around, instead," Coy snickered as he thought about his oldest cousin. "I'm sort of surprised that he didn't take Jesse up on it." Coy rolled over in his bed and stared at his cousin for a minute before asking, "So are you goin' to go?"

"I don't know…I mean, I'll admit that the thought of goin' off for a little bit of fun is more than just a little tempting." Vance then thought back some of the other discussions that he'd had with some of his buddies. While some of his friends were looking for ways to dodge the draft others had begun to look into the United States Merchant Marine Academy as a way to both get out of Hazzard and to avoid the draft at the same time. As a lark Vance had filled out an application but didn't really think much about it since acceptance was very limited. Limited or not, Vance had been accepted which meant that he now had to decide if he wanted to go or not. This was something that he hadn't even told Coy about. Turning toward his cousin, Vance spoke back up, "Besides, whatever I decide to do, it's not like I wouldn't be back. The farm will always be home; even if I do leave for a while."

Coy eyed his cousin; he didn't think that he liked the idea of him going off on his own without him but if his father was for it then he reckoned that he knew best. But Coy did know that he was going to miss his cousin while he was gone.


	3. Walking Papers

**~Walking Papers~**

* * *

Coy squirmed beside his cousin, Bo, in the auditorium while listening to the boring speeches given by various adults as they tried to inspire the new graduates before they left out from the school one last time and became full-fledged adults. Already both of his parents and his Uncle Jesse had called the younger of the Dukes down while trying to pay close attention to the commencement ceremony. Bo gave Coy a slight shrug and turned back to the stage as the speaker finally started to announce this year's graduates. The Dukes all got ready to clap as the two from their family stood and joined their classmates in line and waited for their names to be called.

"Monica Sue Carter, Stephanie Lynn Chatom, Cyrus Vance Duke."

Coy and Bo both joined the other Dukes on their feet and both snickered as their cousin did his best not to roll his eyes while accepting his diploma. Of course, Luke was doing his own fair share of trying to suppress his laughter but Jesse helped him by elbowing him before adding his own clapping to those around him. Behind the boys, Coy could hear his Aunt Pauline telling them to calm down so both he and Bo did their best to quiet their snickers even while Coy could see Jebb trying to do the same beside his father.

"Daisy Mae Duke."

Coy made sure to send out a few whistles for his female cousin and sat back down now that the last of his kin had received their diplomas but he did make sure that he clapped for various friends as their names were called out.

Coy then looked up and saw the Hogg brothers getting their diplomas. Coy was convinced that their uncle must have bought the teachers off to let them pass. He couldn't for the life of him figure out why they would take after him rather than their father. Abraham Lincoln Hogg was a kind and fair man; nothing like his twin brother. When Dewey and Hughie took their diplomas from the principal Coy swore he saw the teaching staff as a whole breathe a sigh of relief. Then there was Enos; he looked both proud and nervous at the same time as he walked across the stage. Finally, after the last graduate's name was read out and the whole audience once more stood to congratulate them one more time before the newly graduated teens went running toward their families in a mass of laughter and happy tears.

When his cousins came to join the rest of the Dukes Coy beamed at both of them and hugged Daisy and slapped Vance on the back. Meanwhile it looked like both of his parents were a bit misty-eyed right along with his Uncle Jesse. As usual, Jesse took charge of everyone and said that they'd best be getting home. After all, they had a party to start back at the farm. As his uncle turned away from the family Coy could swear that he saw him swipe at the tears on his face.

The family all loaded up in the cars and headed back to the farm. They had some more family coming in from out of town that couldn't get to Hazzard before the ceremony but then there wouldn't have been enough tickets to allow everyone in anyway. When the Dukes all got home his aunt from Placid County took charge with the preparation of the food while Helen pulled Daisy aside for her own talk that would resemble the one Chris had given Vance the night before. Helen wanted her niece to know that she shouldn't settle for the first boy that flattered her. After all, as pretty as her niece was there were already some lined up just with one thing on their minds and Helen was well aware that none of them would want to do what's right by Daisy at the moment. Helen knew that Daisy also had dreams of being a song writer and she'd hate to see her give up her dream simply because she settled for a boy who wasn't good enough for her.

Meanwhile Jebb was out with the rest of the Duke Cousins. He was a rising sophomore just like Bo was and both of them were always thick as thieves when he came to Hazzard. It didn't take long for Jebb to show his cousins his new motorcycle that he'd recently gotten (over his mother's objections) and planned to race in some of the local Motocross races over the summer.

"I don't know, Jebb," Coy said as he looked over the racing machine. "I think I'd still prefer a race car over a bike. I mean come on; where's your basket at the front of this thing?"

"You know if my mother had it her way a bicycle would be the only kind of bike that I'd get to ride. Fortunately, after some convincing, my dad figured that if it was two wheels that I wanted to race on then he might as well as let me," Jebb smiled widely as he remembered his parents getting back home from their drive that he knew had just been a ruse to get away from the house while they fought over the motorcycle. Truth be told, he'd been afraid that his mother would win that round but had been relieved when his father told him that as long as he agreed to certain conditions that he could keep the bike.

"Jebb, if your mother had it her way you'd still be ridin' on a tricycle," Luke teased as he sat on the bike to get a feel for it.

"Very funny, Lukas," Jebb rolled his eyes. "Speakin' of race cars, Bo was tellin' me that you two are workin' on an engine for one. You really think that you could get one up and runnin' that could give some of the regulars around here a run for their money?"

"It might take a while, saving up some of our money from 'shine deliveries and all but…" Luke shrugged and turned when he heard his Uncle Jesse call for everyone to head over to the tables so that he could say the blessing over the food.

Meanwhile, Vance was trying to decide on just how he should tell the rest of the family about the Academy. The more he thought about it the more he liked the idea. While the Mariners weren't technically in the military, Vance figured that it was about as close as he'd want. He had even toyed with the idea of enlisting in the Navy but he had the feeling that his family would have balked at the notion of him enlisting while the war was going on. Even if the Merchant Marines were the civilian auxiliary for the Navy, Vance figured that he just might be able to sell the family on the idea of going into civilian service. Of course he knew he also needed to try to figure out a way to tell Coy first since he had the feeling that he wouldn't like the idea of him leaving the farm; without him at least. As the other cousins started talking about the upcoming races that would be in the area Vance took a chance and pulled Coy aside to talk to him privately.

"Coy, you know what we were talkin' about last night?" Vance looked around to see if anyone else was paying him and his cousin any attention. "You know, about leaving Hazzard for a while?"

Coy cocked his head as he eyed his cousin, "Yeh, what about it?"

Vance could almost see a look of betrayal in his cousin's eyes at the mention of leaving him behind while he went off on adventure without him. "Several months ago some of the other guys and I were talking about things that we could do after graduation and all…"

"Yeh?"

"Well, one day we all filled out some applications for the Merchant Marine Academy just to see if we would be accepted," Vance took a deep breath before finishing, "I was and I'm kinda thinking about going."

"You what?" Coy had thought that Vance was going to tell him that he was going to go cruising around the state all summer while he was helping out at his Uncle Elbert's hog farm but this…? "You want to join the Marines?"

"Not the Marines, the _Merchant_ Marines."

"What's the difference?" Coy asked skeptically.

"The Merchant Marines are technically a civilian Naval force," Vance said with a shrug. It was easier to explain it in his head. Yes they were a vital part of the naval fleet but at the moment he needed to push the civilian aspect of it if he was going to recruit his cousin into helping him tell his Uncle Chris and Aunt Helen of what he'd decided to do. "They do help out the Navy some and deliver supplies and men around the world but…What? Don't look at me like that, Coy."

"You have got to be nuts! With what's goin' on with Vietnam right now! To actually sign up to wear a uniform!"

"I told you it's a civilian outfit."

Coy shook his head as he stalked a few paces away from Vance. "That mean that it's safe?"

"Safer than risking getting drafted; sent into some God forsaken war-zone." That alone had been one of the reasons that he'd actually listened to Jimmy telling him about the Merchant Marines in the first place. Last year Greg Morgan from over in Hatchapee County had been drafted and it wasn't six months before his mother was sent a letter that her son had been declared _**Missing and**_ _**Presumed Dead**_. Vance had never considered himself a coward but he also didn't see the point of a bunch of innocent people fighting in a war that they couldn't win that didn't even seem to matter to him here in the States. "Look, I'm still just thinkin' about it for now but I'm tryin' to figure out how to tell Uncle Chris and Aunt Helen."

"You want me to help you tell my parents that you want to become the next Popeye?" Coy glared at his cousin as he smirked, "Why don't I just go find you some spinach to pack with ya?"

"That's not very funny, Coy."

"Ya, well, I didn't find your spill very funny neither." Coy crossed his arms as he faced his cousin. "When do you plan to tell them?"

"I don't know… I'll have to respond to the acceptance letter within the next week…"

"Great. Just do me a favor; don't do it while I'm home." Coy started to turn back toward the farmyard where the rest of the family was still celebrating. "You'll be on your own when you tell Mom and Dad."

"Geez, I didn't think you would take it this bad." Vance was gifted with another glare so he held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, I promise to talk to them when you ain't home. I'll talk it over with Uncle Chris. It's not set in stone, Coy."

"Yeh, sure. Whatever." Coy then led the way back to the party and tried to pretend he didn't know that his cousin was planning to not only leave Hazzard but do so on a boat.

Once the food was all prepared, Jesse and the other Dukes all gathered around for prayer before the festivities could really begin. As Jesse was thanking the Lord God Almighty for seeing his niece and nephew safely to their graduation and asking him to bless the food the sound of a motorcycle was heard coming up the driveway. Jesse worked his jaw at the irritation of being interrupted talking to his Lord but finished up his prayer and looked up to see the Post Mistress, Emma Tisdale, riding up on her two wheeler with its side car full of mail.

"Sorry, Jesse, it looks like you and the family was just sittin' down for lunch."

"Emma, can I help you with anything? It ain't like you to come all the way out here to deliver the mail. I was plannin' on comin' out to pick it up in town tomorrow." Jesse did his best to ignore the fact that the small woman looked like she was sizing him up; the same way she always did since Lavinia had passed about five years ago. She was sizing him up like a piece of meat that she'd like to have slaughtered down at the church, right after he said _'I do'_.

"I know, I do look forward to when you come to town, Jesse, but I'm afraid I have an important letter that just couldn't wait. Special delivery."

"Well, go ahead and hand it over."

"Sorry, Jesse, no can do. It ain't for you. It's for Luke," Emma Tisdale said as she turned toward the tall brunette as he walked up to her.

"Me? What would I be gettin' special delivery?" Luke asked as he reached forward to take the letter from the Post Mistress.

"Eck! Not so fast, I need to see your I.D."

"Oh for Heaven's sake," Luke reached around to grab his wallet out of his back pocket and pulled out his driver's license for the woman to look at and took the letter from her in one quick swoop.

"Well, I guess that about does it," Emma pulled her helmet back on and climbed back onto her bike before adding, "I'll be lookin' forward to seein' you tomorrow, Jesse."

Jesse scrunched his nose after the determined woman rode off. He then looked back at his nephew who had already ripped the envelope open and was reading the letter. As he read the paper his face went ashen white and all of the family was quick to react. Chris and John each took an elbow and led him back to sit on the picnic table. Coy and the cousins all exchanged looks with one another as they watched their Uncle Jesse take the letter from their oldest cousin only to see that he, too, lost all blood from his face.

"Uncle Jesse, what's wrong?" Coy asked as he and Bo both tried to read over his shoulder to see just what could be on that piece of paper that could cause both men react like that.

"It's…It's from the Draft Board," Jesse choked out. "He's been ordered to report before the Board in Athens in ten days."

~DOH~

Coy sent a glance toward his cousin Vance as they both helped to clear the tables and chairs away. The party broke up just after Luke's letter had been delivered. The news from the Draft Board had taken the wind out of the family's sails very quickly and now no one really felt much like celebrating. So instead of laughing and having fun with his cousins (possibly sneaking some moonshine from the stash that he knew Luke had hidden in the barn) and carrying on, he and all of the other Duke Teenagers were cleaning up the farmyard while Luke and the elder Duke Men were in the house discussing the orders that had been given today.

Coy's mind kept drifting toward the house as he waited for his father and the others to come outside. Part of him wanted to hold out hope that everything was a mistake. His cousin wasn't being called into service with a war going on in the jungles of some distant country where so many men didn't make it back from. Hadn't it just been last night that he had been worrying about the possibility of Vance leaving Hazzard? And that had just been a road trip that Vance had been thinking about taking. But Luke? If he went to Vietnam what would happen to him?

All around him Coy saw his cousins walk around in a bit of a haze. Each of them were eyeing the house just like he had been. Daisy was busy packing away the food as best as she could without being able to take it inside. Meanwhile both Bo and Jebb were talking in hushed tones across the yard.

"I didn't think that Luke would get drafted," Vance walked up to Coy as he whispered to him. It was as if he was afraid to say the words too loudly but at the same time he needed to break the unbearable silence of the yard. His Aunt Pauline and Aunt Helen were up on the porch taking the food that Daisy and Jebb's sister Karen had packed up inside. "I mean, I know that some of the guys at school had been talkin' about it and worryin' about how to avoid it but…"

Coy let out a sigh as he nodded, "I know. You don't really think that Luke will really have to go though do ya? I mean, last year Chase Vernon was drafted but he was rejected. Maybe they won't take Luke, neither."

"I doubt it. Chase has always been sickly. Luke ain't. If they sent him that letter then they'll take him." Vance folded up another chair and carried it over to the back of the pickup before leaning up against the tail-gate. Here he'd been trying to figure out how to tell the family that he'd been accepted into the Academy for the Merchant Marines and now the family was faced with his cousin being called off to war against his will.

Coy nodded since he knew that his cousin was right; even if he'd rather that he was wrong. After a few minutes Coy then looked up and eyed Vance. "Does this change your decision to leave?"

Vance hadn't expected his cousin to ask him that just yet. He thought it over briefly before replying, "Not really. I mean, if they sent out a letter to Luke then that means that I could be next. At least this way I have some choice in the matter."

Coy had to admit that his cousin's reasoning was sound but he didn't have to like it. He didn't want either of his cousins leaving; whether it be against their will or not.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **For a side note, there is a very real reason why I chose the date for this** **story to begin. In the spring of 1973, the Vietnam War was still very much in** **full swing, as was the draft that sent thousands of young men off to war against** **their will. It was not like the American Military that we know today where each** **man and woman that is serving do so voluntarily. During the Vietnam War,** **many men that did not wish to serve took great measures to avoid the draft. Some** **feigned illnesses, pretended to be homosexual (since at the time it would prevent serving** **even if a man wished to serve), joined pacifist religions, others allowed a** **lapse of personal hygiene, those that could afford it would try to bribe** **officials and still others simply moved out of the country (Canada was the most** **popular choice for those men).**

 **The last of the draft lottery numbers were drawn in 1973 though some** **information sites have the last pull in March 12, 1975. Which is why I did have** **the story starting a year later but to ensure continuity with actual historical** **events, I've pushed the year back by one year. Any man that received his papers** **in 1973 would have actually had their number drawn around** **February 2, 1972 but would not have been notified at the time of the drawing.** **So in this story takes place when the last of the official draft numbers would** **be coming up.**


	4. Drafting Up Some Possibilities

**~Drafting Up Some Possibilities~**

Vance finished putting some fresh hay in Maudine's stall and eyed the house as the adults finally seemed to be finished speaking with Luke about the orders that he'd been sent earlier in the afternoon. When it became clear that his aunt and uncle were preparing to head back to the cabin Vance told Coy to take the Nova back; he'd ride back with Coy's parents. Coy eyed his cousin but nodded. He knew that his cousin was giving him his out since he didn't want to be around when Vance talked to his parents about the letter that he'd gotten of his own.

After Coy took the keys and hopped in the Nova, Vance walked over to the truck that his uncle and aunt were climbing in. Coy drove the short distance to the cabin and went inside while he waited for his parents and cousin to get back from their talk.

"What a day," Coy muttered as he walked into his and Vance's room. "First Vance decides he wants to go sailin' around the world, now Luke's been drafted… How did all of this happen?"

Coy sent up a few curses that he knew danged well that neither of his parents would have approved of then threw himself on his bed and waited for the sound of the pickup pulling into the drive. At the same time he was beginning to regret his decision to not be around when Vance spoke with his parents about his decision to join the Merchant Marines. Right now, he hated not knowing what was going on or what was being said.

~DOH~

Chris pulled the truck off to the side of the road less than three minutes from the end of the drive up to the cabin in the woods and turned to face his nephew with his jaw gone slack. Both he and Helen stared at Vance as their nephew looked as if he was tempted slip out of the door that he was now pressed up against. Chris's mind was going around in circles. First he was faced with Luke receiving orders to report to Athens in ten days and now Vance was telling him and his wife that he wants to go off into some academy that will then send him off around the world doing only the Lord knows what.

When Vance continued his reasoning for applying to the Merchant Marines' Academy, Helen latched onto Vance's comment about how Jimmy and their other friends had applied to the academy were looking for ways to avoid the current draft.

"Well now that Luke has been drafted, Lord help us, you won't have to worry about that anymore. I mean, Chris, wasn't that one of the reasons why the rest of you didn't have to go to Korea? Jesse and Abner both enlisted so the rest of you were safe, right?"

Chris inhaled heavily. He knew that Helen was referring to an Act that many have misinterpreted over the years. A law that was enacted to prevent families from being wiped out by war. "Helen, it doesn't quite work that way. That law only keeps brothers from serving together under the same command. Not from serving at the same time. And no matter how close the boys all are, they are not brothers. Even Bo wouldn't be exempted from the draft despite the fact that the two were raised together." Chris eyed his nephew before asking, "Did any of the others get into the academy, too?

Vance shook his head, "Jimmy's grades weren't high enough to get in. After riding around for the summer he plans to go up to visit some family that his mother has up in Canada."

"Couldn't Vance go with Jimmy then?" Helen didn't want her boy going off anywhere but with the reality of Luke already being drafted all she could imagine was the worst case scenario; Vance being drafted as well come this time next year.

Chris wiped his hand over his face as he tried to think. He didn't like the idea of Vance dodging the draft but he didn't like the idea of him being sent off into the jungles of Vietnam either. Of course he also knew that during war-time even the Merchant Marines weren't perfectly safe.

Chris looked back over at Vance. It was clear that he had put in an awful lot of thought into his decision to enroll at the academy; he couldn't see how he could tell his nephew that he didn't approve of his decision that Vance had clearly pondered over so carefully.

Dukes have never been the kind to run from the service of their country. There had been a Duke in every confrontation since the Revolutionary War. And now it seemed that it would be Luke and Vance's turn to serve in whatever capacity they are destined to fulfill. Luke wasn't given a choice in the matter but Vance has been. And it seems that he has chosen to join the Merchant Marines.

~DOH~

Coy looked at the clock and wondered just how long it took for Vance to tell his parents about his decision to run off to the Merchant Marines. Coy then went into the kitchen to see if he could find any leftovers to warm up. The family had planned to spend the whole day over at the main farmhouse which meant that nothing had been laid out for supper tonight.

Coy was just pulling out some cold roast beef from the refrigerator when he heard the family pickup pull up outside of the cabin. When the door opened Coy looked up and saw by the look in his mother's eyes that Vance had told her and his father. Coy lowered his eyes since he knew that she'd be able to see that he already knew what he'd planned to tell them if she looked him in the eye.

Helen began to work on automatic pilot as she thought about the fact that she didn't want the boys to see the obvious pain that filled her eyes. She took the roast from her son and started to get supper together. Her husband seemed to agree with Vance's decision to go off to the academy up in New York. She couldn't understand why Chris hadn't jumped at the idea of allowing Vance to stay safe off with his friend Jimmy. The idea of Vance instead going off into the Merchant Marines, civilian or not she knew that it could be dangerous, shook Helen to the core.

Coy stepped back to let his mother handle the food and then turned back to see Vance walking off to their shared bedroom. Coy followed in behind him and closed the door behind him and gave Vance a questioning look.

"So?"

"So what?" Vance replied as he flopped on his bed to wait on for supper.

"What did they say?"

Coy leaned against the door as he waited for Vance to tell him of his conversation with the adults in the other room. He was mildly surprised that his mother had jumped on the idea of Vance going up to Canada with Jimmy but he knew just like his father that Vance wouldn't have done that even if he hadn't been accepted into the academy.

When Vance explained that he would still take the road trip over the summer with Jimmy, Coy wished that he could go, too. Instead he was going to help with his Uncle Elbert's hog farm. Of course, Coy knew that it wouldn't have been possible in any case. The trip would end with Vance in Kings Point, New York and with Jimmy up in Canada. That meant that if Coy went he'd have to find a way back home before the harvest began and as well as before school started back up.

"So that's it? You're goin'."

Vance nodded. He knew that his cousin would take this badly; it was probably being made even worse now with Luke going off, too. "At least after I finish at the academy I'll be able to come back on leave from time to time. It'll be just like I went off to college instead. You won't have to worry about me."

Coy eyed his cousin. Oh he'll still worry about him; even if he'll be a bit more worried about Luke for now since he had no idea where he'll be going off to. He prayed that Luke was either rejected or sent to some place safe; anywhere but Vietnam.

~DOH~

Over the course of the next week and a half, the Dukes spent their days in a haze. Especially after the rest of the family learned of Vance's plan to enroll at the Academy for the Merchant Marines. In the ten days that led up to Luke reporting to the Draft Board in Athens, Vance replied to the letter from the Academy and began making preparations for his road trip with his friends that would end with him in New York and Chris made arrangements to head to his wife's brother's hog farm (though he had serious reservations about leaving his brother behind in Hazzard to deal with the farm without their oldest nephew to help out).

The night before Luke was to drive out with Jesse to Athens, Chris and Helen discussed the change in the situation in Hazzard since the two of them had originally made their plans to head to Elbert's farm. At the end of their discussion, Chris called Coy in and asked him if he would rather stay in Hazzard for the summer to help with the chores that would need to be handled in Luke's impending absence or if he'd still like to go to Elbert's to help out. Chris knew that his son's help would be equally needed in either place so he figured that he might as well as give Coy the option of where he'd rather stay for the next few months.

Coy was surprised when his father gave him the choice of staying in Hazzard for the summer. He didn't like the reason behind his new-found freedom in making the decision for himself but he did get a slight charge when his father trusted him to make up his own mind. Coy actually hadn't liked the prospect of spending his summer feeding and cleaning up after hogs but at the same time he knew that he was needed at his Uncle Elbert's farm. At least Jesse would still have Jebb and Bo to help out with the crops and they were all supposed to be back in time for the first harvest since he would have to be back for school.

In the end, Coy decided that when his parents went up into the mountains to help out at the hog farm he would go with them; all the while praying that Luke would be dismissed from service even if Vance was leaving regardless. That meant that he was packing for the trip that he and his parents would leave out tomorrow after Jesse and Luke returned from Athens.

Coy looked around the room and tried to figure out if he forgot anything that he might need over the summer. Meanwhile Vance was doing the same thing, though his trip would be for a completely different reason. He worried about taking too much stuff with him that he wouldn't need once he got up to New York but at the same time he didn't want to take too little. He didn't know if he would be issued a uniform or not while he was taking classes. In the end he figured that he'd just pack three changes of clothes. Enough to make sure that he had clean clothes but not so much with him that it would take up too much room in the car on the way up nor too much room once he got to the academy.

Vance was nearly finished with putting his last pair of jeans into his suitcase when he heard Coy mutter under his breath in frustration. Vance knew that Coy, like he, was wondering how things were going with Luke in Athens. They both wondered if he would be returning with their Uncle Jesse or if he would be shipped directly out to only the Lord knows where. Then on top of that Vance knew that Coy was worried about him as well. Vance felt bad that he was causing so many folks worry about him at the same time that there was so much uncertainty about Luke's future.

"Hey," Vance waited for Coy to look up before he continued, "It'll be alright."

Coy gave a weak smile to his older cousin and nodded. After all, right now he had no choice but to believe it.

~DOH~

Luke left his uncle back in the waiting area while wishing that he could ask him to come with him; just the same way he had anytime he had been afraid as a child before a physical at Doc Appleby's. This was very different. He'd been ordered to come here because he was considered a grown man and his country had need of more men to fight in a war on the other side of the world. He couldn't ask his uncle to keep all of the scary things of the world away any longer. He had to face this alone.

Luke waited in the line to go into yet another waiting room filled with men. He wondered if each man in this room would be drafted or if the military would only take a select few. Luke hoped that the Duke Luck would perhaps hold out for him and even if he was taken that just maybe he would be chosen for service anywhere other than Vietnam. After all, there were bases all over the world. He could go to Europe, South America, the Middle East, islands in the Atlantic Ocean… Anywhere but Vietnam. The odds were in his favor weren't they?

Luke was given a stack of papers to fill out while he waited for his interview. By the time he finished the paperwork he swore that his hand was so cramped that he couldn't sign his name another time. Nearly three hours after first being herded into the waiting room, Luke heard his name and followed the sharply dressed man whose rank Luke couldn't tell (though he had a sneaky suspicion that was about to change). He was then ushered into an office where yet another man waited behind a desk. Luke handed over his papers to him and was motioned to take a seat across from officer. Luke did his best to not squirm under the scrutiny; especially when the questions began.

"I see that you are listed as single, no children. Is that correct?"

"Yes sir." _Of course he'd be single without any kids yet. He'd only been_ _out of school for a year,_ Luke thought to himself.

After skimming a few more questions that Luke had answered while waiting for his name to be called the officer asked another question without looking up, "I see you marked that your parents are deceased. Did either of them die due to military service?"

"No sir, they were killed in a hospital fire."

"Civilian hospital?"

"Yes sir."

"I see." Again the man returned to looking through the stack of papers. "It says here that you haven't been attending college in the last year since you've been out of high school. Any plans to enroll in the future?"

"Uh…" _What did that have to do with being called here?_ "No sir. I work on the family farm. I don't need to go off to college to know when to plant the corn."

The man once more continued to read through the paperwork without looking up at the young man in the office. He confirmed several more answers that Luke had filled in on the papers that were now being perused by the officer. Luke waited impatiently for the man to ask his questions and finished going through his papers.

Finally, the interview was over and Luke was sent into yet another room that was filled with young men that were going through various stages of being put through a physical to determine readiness for service. Luke was ordered to strip to his shorts and joined the line of men and by the end of the process Luke felt like he'd been inspected like a bull fresh from the market. Once he was finished with the physical he got dressed and was told that he could expect his orders in the mail which would tell him where he would be sent to begin his basic training in four to six weeks; in addition to what branch he would be going into. Luke then headed back out to the room that he'd left his uncle hours ago when they'd first arrived at the building that the Draft Board was in.

"How'd it go?" Jesse stood up to join Luke as he came through the door.

"It's over for now," Luke shrugged. "They said I can go home for now. I'll get orders in the mail to tell me where to go and when." Luke glanced around at the other men that had yet to be processed as he and Jesse made their way to the exit.

"You look a bit confused. Is there something else wrong?"

"I guess I didn't know what to expect…I didn't think that I'd be goin' back to the farm today," Luke admitted.

Jesse nodded. When he had enlisted he had been unsure of the whole process, too. He was uncertain of the actual drafting process; unsure if it would be all that different than enlisting.

"Speakin' of which, let's head on home. I'm sure that if you didn't think that you'd be heading home then Bo and the others probably thought the same thing."

"Yes sir," Luke then got in the truck and rode the long way back to Hazzard. He had faced the day in a bit of a haze and now that it was over he wasn't sure how he felt about it. The entire last ten days seemed like one long nightmare and it still wasn't over.

Long after the sun went down Luke and Jesse pulled up the farm's drive and found that Bo and Daisy were waiting up for them. Jesse saw his brother's truck and Vance's car parked in front of the family homestead. That meant that everyone was waiting to learn just what all happened today in Athens despite the fact that the others should have gone to bed hours ago. Jesse hadn't even put the truck in park before the kitchen screen door swung open as Bo burst through it. When he saw that Luke was in the truck he let out a holler; if Luke was back at the farm then the Army must have decided not to take him after all.

 **A/N**

 **In my research on the draft, I've come across conflicting reports on just** **what all the process entailed so I'll be combining the information from dozens** **of websites and blogs written by men that went to Vietnam. The rest that either** **varied greatly or was not covered in the sites that I've read through is purely** **fictional but written as close to being historically accurate as possible.**


	5. Marching Orders

**~Marching Orders~**

Coy looked up sleepily when he'd heard his uncle's truck pull up. He then joined the rest of the family outside and grinned broadly when he saw that his oldest cousin had returned home. He let loose a holler along with Bo as each of the cousins began to clamor around the truck waiting for Luke and Jesse to get out.

"I knew it! They let you off the hook!" Bo had prayed the whole time that his cousin was gone that Luke would luck up and be sent back home. Now that he saw his cousin he felt as if his prayers had been answered.

Coy came up short when he saw Luke's expression to Bo's declaration; Coy then glanced over at his Uncle Jesse and saw that he didn't look all that happy neither. "Uncle Jesse? What happened?"

"Jesse?" Chris joined his son and studied her brother and nephew's face. It didn't take a hard glance to know that something was wrong. "Luke?"

"Luke, how about you head on up and get ready for bed. You've had a busy day." Jesse figured that he'd give his nephew an out since the explanation of what happened today won't be easy for him to sit through. "I'll tell everyone how the day went."

Luke nodded and made his way up to his room. Bo looked between his cousin and his uncle before deciding to follow Luke upstairs. He'd find out what happened from Luke himself. Jebb joined him in his ascent while leaving his parents behind with his uncles and aunt. Vance and Coy watched along with Daisy while trying to decide if they should follow the guys up or wait for Jesse to tell Chris and Helen what happened in Athens. In the end they decided to listen to Jesse then figured that they could go up to talk to Luke afterwards.

"So what's next?" Chris asked after the adults made it to the living room inside.

"Luke will get his orders and ship out in four to six weeks," Jesse hung his head as he collapsed into his recliner. "From there, I just don't know what to expect."

Daisy raised a hand to her mouth at the news. Vance put an arm around her and pulled her close to him. Coy closed his eyes and tilted his head back as he absorbed the news. Jesse told his brothers and sisters-in-law what Luke was told to expect from the folks at the Draft Board. The teens then went up to talk to Luke and left the adults to discuss the day as well as half of the Dukes' trip to Helen's brother's farm.

"Bo, there is nothin' I can do. I can't just refuse to show up when I get my orders." Luke had flopped on his bed the moment he walked into his bedroom. Now his cousins all crowded into the room and looked at him expectantly. "If I don't show it won't keep me from leaving the farm. Now I'm tired; let me get some sleep."

"But Luke-" Bo started but stopped short when Luke shot him a hard glance. "Fine. We can all talk tomorrow."

~DOH~

The next morning Coy helped his father load up the truck with the family's luggage for the summer then turned and saw his cousins gather around to bid him and his parents goodbye. Vance would be leaving at the end of the week to start his road trip with his friends. As of right now the plan was to head down to Savannah and stay at the local YMCA and then slowly make their way up North. Vance had plenty of time to get to New York before the fall semester was scheduled to begin.

The family was then left to wait to see just when Luke would get his orders to report for training. Not to mention he still didn't know what branch of the military that he would be assigned to. Jesse had encouraged Chris and Helen to continue with their plans to head to Helen's brother's hog farm since there was no reason for them to sit around and wait for the orders to arrive in the mail. Elbert needed help of his sister's family and doing so would be good for all of them. If they stayed behind to wait until Luke got on a bus to whichever base that he would head off to then the family would only feel an enormous strain in the month's time before that would happen. They all needed to find something to keep them busy for the time being. Jesse assured the rest of the family that he would pass on the word just as soon as Luke's orders were sent out.

Once all of the luggage was strapped down Coy went to bid his family goodbye; especially the two that he had no idea when he would see them again. Jesse explained that once Luke finished with his initial training he would likely be able to return home for a short visit before being sent for more specialized training before being sent to his eventual post. The family as one prayed that the post would not be in the jungles of Vietnam.

For the next hour the teens all hung out in the barn together before it was time for Coy and his parents to leave. When Chris finally figured that it was time to get out on the road he called his son down from the hayloft where the six teens had been sitting. Coy hugged Daisy and told both Jebb and Bo that he'd see them when he got back at the end of the summer. He then lingered just a bit longer with both of his older cousins. Vance would not be back to the farm before his classes at the academy were scheduled to begin. That meant that Coy was very uncertain about just when he would see him. Luke, however, would hopefully be back even if briefly at the end of the summer. After that, Coy didn't want to even think about what might would happen to Luke.

Once all of the goodbyes were said Chris got behind the wheel of the truck and Coy waited for his mother to slide in before climbing in and watched the farm grow small in the side mirror of the truck. Coy knew that the next time that he saw the farm life in general would be changed from the way that he'd always known it. Neither of his older cousins would be there to help with the harvest come this fall; nor would he and Vance be sharing a bedroom any longer. Coy didn't look forward to returning to an empty room. So long as he was away with his parents at his uncle's hog farm Coy just might get to imagine that all is as it has always been. But the moment that he returns to his empty room it will be undeniable that the family's world has been turned upside down.

~DOH~

Coy looked around the small room that he would be spending his summer in. The room that he and Vance usually stayed in was in the process of being transformed into a new nursery. His Aunt Betsy was expecting her third child and considering that they had two girls (each under school-age) both she and Elbert were hoping for a boy this time around. With the usual room taken, Coy would be bunking in with his young cousins for the next two months.

Once Coy had his clothes unpacked and put up on the top shelf of the small closet he headed on out to see just what chores he needed to get started on. Coming to his uncle's hog farm was quite common for his summers so he knew the routine well. He also knew that his father would join him soon. Coy wandered through the hog stalls and continued to walk past them as he began to wonder how his cousins back in Hazzard were doing. Vance still had a couple of days before he and Jimmy take to the road to head up north and the family still didn't know just how long it would be before Luke would be leaving home. From there no one knew when either of the two would be able to return to the family farm.

Coy ended up down the drive and leaned on the fence railing that lined the drive and stared absently up toward the mountains that could be seen off to the east of his uncle's farm. He wasn't sure how long he'd just been standing there but soon he heard the sound of someone approaching him. At first Coy figured that it was his father but he quickly realized that the sound wasn't coming from the direction of the house. Coy looked up and saw that a teen aged girl who appeared to be the same age as he was walking up the drive. Behind her waddled up a fat chicken with splayed legs doing her best to keep up with the girl.

"Oh, I didn't realize that you and your family were already here." The brunette came up short when she saw Coy turning toward her.

"Do I know you?"

The girl laughed before replying, "You don't recognize me? I'm Connie Masters. I live just down the road."

"Connie?" Coy eyed her with disbelief. The last time he'd seen her she was about three inches shorter and about twenty pounds heavier. Coy had always teased Vance that Connie idolized him; which had always embarrassed him to no end. She just wasn't his type but that had never seemed to keep the girl from following him around like a love-sick puppy over the last few years.

"I know, I look a bit different but it is me." Connie gave a lopsided grin before stooping to scoop the chicken that had followed her over up into her arms.

Coy brought a hand up to the back of his neck as he tried to cover his surprise at Connie's appearance. "It's just been a while is all. I wasn't expecting to see anyone out here."

"I've been coming out in the evenings to see if your aunt needed any help with the girls. I like Carol and Grace and they seem to like me, too." Connie shrugged as she spoke. "I suppose that your mother's helping with them now though, huh?"

"Yeh, she's likely getting ready to start dinner by now," Coy smiled to himself since he suspected that his Aunt Betsy may not have full reign over her kitchen again until the end of the summer. "Were you planning on stayin' for supper? I'm sure no one would mind."

"Nah, I'll eat later on with my father," Connie shook her head as she stroked the hen in her arms. "Just tell Betsy that I came by. I'll go ahead and go and finish my chores at home but be sure to tell Vance that I said hey."

"I'll tell him but I'm not sure when that will be; Vance isn't here this year." Coy said solemnly and saw Connie's own expression fall slightly.

"He's not? But why?"

Coy then briefly began to unload the story of Vance's decision to enter into the Academy for the Merchant Marines up in New York and how the family had all learned about it on the same day that Luke had received his draft notice. Coy wasn't sure when he would see either cousin again. Luke was waiting for his orders and Vance was about to embark on a road trip that would end with him up north.

Connie listened without really knowing what to say in response to the news of the older Duke Cousins possibly being sent into harm's way with the war going on just on the other side of the world. After all, she herself had lost an uncle over there at the start of the conflict. In the end Connie ended up just leaning up against the fence railing and continued to listen to Coy as he confessed his concern for his cousins now that they would no longer be out at the family farm that had been their homes nearly their whole lives.

~DOH~

Meanwhile, Helen was doing her best to see to her brother who had been sickly his whole life; not that he'd admit to it. Elbert had always resented the times in his life that forced him to take to his bed. That of course usually caused him to push himself even harder when he could. Helen was well aware that his calling her family for help couldn't have been easy. He wanted to feel like he was able to care for his young family on his own. Asking for help, however, must have had a lot to do with Betsy's pregnancy.

Shaking her head, Helen went in search of her sister-in-law to make sure that she didn't over exert herself now that she had help. When Helen found Betsy, she was trying to get her three and two year old daughters to eat their suppers before their baths.

"I could have helped you with those two," Helen made her way over to the refrigerator to start getting dinner together for the rest of the family. Pulling out what she needed she then turned to look for the pans under the stove.

Betsy wiped down her two year old daughter's face before she looked over at her sister-in-law. "You are doing more than enough, Helen. I'm just glad that you are here at all; though I do hate the timing of it all. I'm sure that Chris and Coy would much rather be back in Hazzard with all that you told me is going on; what with Vance and Luke leaving like they are."

Helen put a frying pan on the stove and bobbed her head. "I don't like the way it's goin' neither but I just don't know what to do about it all. I know that I'm goin' to miss my boys, especially Vance, somethin' fierce when I get back home. I can only imagine how it'll be for Coy."

"I thought that the president came out and said that they were going to stop the draft this year?" Betsy reached over to keep her youngest daughter from tossing her spoon onto the floor now that she was finished with her supper.

"Yes, he did. It's just the Duke Luck that Luke got caught up in the last round and Vance decided to join the Academy to avoid a draft that he'll no longer have to worry about," Helen shook her head in disgust as she spoke. "Vance applied to the Merchant Marines before any of us heard about that. If I had known sooner I would have fought a lot harder to keep him from leaving the farm. Of course Chris seems to think that regardless it would have been good for him to leave for a while anyway."

"Well at least with the news of the end of the draft, one would think that the war is winding down, too. Maybe neither of the boys will end up in harm's way over there in that country."

"One can hope," Helen said nearly fearful to put too much thought into the idea, "and pray, of course."

The women then continued to work alongside one another while sharing the various news and gossip of the people in town. Helen knew that her worry for her kin would only increase the more that she dwelt on the two boys who had only begun their new lives into manhood so she did her best to fill her mind with the chores that needed to be done and aiding in taking care of her nieces and brother. All the while keeping an eye out to judge just how her son and husband were dealing with the latest life change of the family.

~DOH~

Over the following week back in Hazzard, the remaining Dukes all went about their lives running the farm while trying to pretend that everything was as it should be. Jebb was allowed to spend the summer to help with the farm chores in both Coy and Vance's absence and bunked in with Bo and Luke. Daisy continued going out to her job at the pizza parlor and Jesse did his best to keep the boys busy with any and every chore he could think of so that neither they nor he would spend day after day waiting for Emma Tisdale's motorcycle to come up the drive with another special delivery.

Jesse stared out the window as he watched Luke tinker with the tractor as Bo was busy swinging an axe chopping some firewood. Both worked on their given chores in a companionable silence that, to Jesse, always seemed far too rare. Ordinarily, the silence would be broken by one or both of the boys by kidding, picking, teasing, yelling, laughing, arguing or fighting. Most of the time it was all in good fun; the two acting much as brothers would do. That was something that Jesse would miss once he didn't have both of his boys under the same roof. By the time Luke will get out of the Marines Bo will be out of school and both would be too old for childish bickering and pranks. By then all of Jesse's nephews will be grown men.

Grabbing a dish out of the sink, Jesse thought about his two nephews who weren't on the farm. He suspected that Coy was likely taking the recent changes awfully hard right now. Just like Bo, Coy has lived and filled the role of the younger brother to his older cousin nearly all of his life. The difference at the moment was that Coy was alone; save his parents and his Uncle Elbert's family but they couldn't fill Vance's place for the boy. At least here, Bo still had Daisy and Jebb. Once Luke leaves Jesse knew that his niece will take to mothering her youngest cousin even more than she usually did; it was in her nature. As far as Jebb goes, both he and Bo were as thick as thieves. They constantly ran off together doing only the Lord knows what only to return home with various bumps, bruises, scrapes and torn clothing. While Bo was sure to take Luke's departure hard, Jesse knew very well that the full effect wouldn't even kick in until he had to head to an empty room where the only thing that will greet him will be the sight of a vacant bed across from his own.

Finishing up the dishes, Jesse headed out to the farmyard just as Jebb made his way out of the barn after milking Old Bossy. Jesse waved all three boys over to him figuring that the boys needed something else to do.

"Yeh, Uncle Jesse?" Luke asked after he'd crawled out from under the tractor and went to sit on a log that Bo had yet to split. "Something wrong?"

"Nah, nothin's wrong. I's just wonderin' if'n you three would mind startin' a cook for me out at still site sixteen. I've got to head up to the Blue Goose tomorrow night on a run and just about every time I get up there Ernest usually has an order for the next batch waitin' on me." Jesse knew that his nephews would rather make the run for him but Jesse didn't want to chance it right now. Besides, this would give the boys one last chance to kick back and relax together before Luke was sent to Boot Camp. "If you boys can go ahead and get the cook started I'll be able to give Ernest a rough estimate on when he can expect the next delivery."

"Sounds like fun," Jebb said with a grin. Jebb's overprotective mother had shielded her son from much of the family's business for most of his life. It had only been in the last year that he'd been able to take part in any cooks and deliveries, though only while in Hazzard since John had long-since given up brewing moonshine (or at least as far as his wife knew). Anytime Jesse gave Jebb the opportunity to practice the family craft he eagerly accepted. "Count me in."

Luke shrugged. Ordinarily he enjoyed spending a night at a cook site but right now he felt as if he'd rather make the run instead since he'd preferred to be doing something but he knew full well that if Jesse wanted him to make a run he would have said so. "We might as well as make it still site thirteen instead. That way we can get some fishin' in while we're gone."

"Alright," Jesse nodded. "Why don't you go and get your things together for a couple days and-"

Before Jesse could continue he heard the distant sound of a motorcycle heading in the direction of the farm. Jesse felt his blood run cold since he knew full well what the sound meant for his family; by looking at the three young men he could see that they heard the motorcycle as well. Luke's face suddenly went ashen and both of the blonds exchanged glances with one another. All of the Dukes knew that they would be looking to dig out a jar of 'shine very shortly.

~DOH~

Coy spent the next several days tending to the hogs. Feeding them, cleaning up after them, making sure the hundreds of hogs had water and all that he knew needed to be done on a daily basis. His father spent those same hours working alongside his son and kept an eye towards the hogs to determining just which ones were ready for the slaughter. There were quite a few that looked as if they had been ready weeks ago. Unfortunately, Elbert had not been able to keep up with the hogs' growth. Now that Coy and his father had arrived to take over the day to day operation of the farm it only took until the first week's end to begin to cull the stock and fill the smokehouse.

Now Coy was leaning up against the rail and watched a sow that was due to deliver any day. Coy had actually been able to lull himself into a false sense that everything in his life was normal. Not being back in Hazzard, it was easy to believe that Vance was just off with his friends and Luke was still working away back at the family farm. This morning, however, that illusion was broken. Jesse had called and told Chris that Luke had received his orders. He was due to arrive on Paris Island on June thirtieth to begin his training as a Marine. A Marine! One who was likely to fight on the front lines in Vietnam.

Coy stared off to the distance and wondered how Vance was doing now. Sure he wasn't heading into the jungles but that didn't mean that he wasn't less worried about him. Coy didn't know how either of his cousins would handle the big changes that were coming down the pipe for them.


End file.
